Published On 10/6/2026
On Wednesday, pro-Palestinian protests disrupted the start of the Berlin International Air and Space Exhibition (ILA), after demonstrators blocked the roads and entrances leading to the exhibition site in the German capital, disrupting traffic and forcing hundreds of visitors and members of official delegations to arrive on foot.
The protesters chanted slogans, including “Free Palestine,” while large numbers of police officers were deployed around the exhibition, in which German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to participate.
Reuters quoted a witness as saying that the police intervened to remove some of the demonstrators, while buses were unable to reach the event site due to the closure of the entrances, which angered a number of participants and visitors.
A group calling itself “Peacefully Against Genocide” claimed responsibility for organizing the protest, stressing that it was targeting what it described as cooperation between the exhibition companies and the Israeli regime.
The group said, in a statement on the Instagram platform, that its protest focuses on the participation of the German defense company Rheinmetall and the Israeli company Elbit Systems, accusing the two companies of involvement in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.
The statement added that the two companies will display combat drones and air defense systems during the exhibition, considering that their participation represents support for Israeli military operations.
The ILA exhibition is considered one of the oldest aviation exhibitions in the world, as its first launch dates back to 1909, while this year’s edition continues between June 10 and 14, with the participation of more than 750 exhibitors from 37 countries.
The exhibition showcases the latest innovations in the fields of aviation, space and defense industries, in addition to organizing political forums and air shows in which civilian and military aircraft participate.
This year’s session comes amid challenges facing European defense industries, after the faltering of a joint project to develop a French-German fighter aircraft, an indication of the difficulties facing Europe’s efforts to enhance its military capabilities and expand its defense industries.
